I enjoy beating Australia – Eddie Jones

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has lauded his record against Australia as he prepares to face his former employers for the first time since presiding over the Wallabies’ first group stage exit at the World Cup in 2023.

Pacific Nations Cup runners-up Japan host Joe Schmidt’s resurgent side on Saturday at the National Stadium in Tokyo ahead of the Autumn Nations Series in November.

The build-up has been dominated by Jones being reunited with the two-time World Cup winners who he left amid speculation that he took part in an interview for the Japan head coach role during rugby’s showpiece event in France. 

Australia’s talent-laden squad has expectedly played down any appetite for revenge against Jones who - having been pushed all week about the showdown against his home country and some players he overlooked during his ill-fated second Wallabies reign – secured some column inches in trademark fashion at Thursday’s press conference.

“I always enjoy beating Australia,” said Jones, before validating that statement by adding: “I coached against them 10 times for England and we beat them nine times. 

“Given the team they’ve picked it looks like there’ll be opportunities for us. 

“I want to see them do well but not against us,” he added. 

Jones has overseen a youth movement for the Brave Blossoms who recorded their first win over tier one opposition since 2019 when they toppled Wales in their first summer test in Kitakyushu.

Hurricanes-bound lock Warner Dearns captained his adopted country for the first time during a positive Pacific Nations Cup campaign which culminated in a narrow 33-27 loss to Fiji. 

Wellington-born Dearns, 23, retains the captaincy despite the return of 37-year-old Japan legend Michael Leitch who starts at number eight.  

“Warner is captain for this game and there’s no reason why he can’t be for the Northern tour - he’s done a really good job up to now, he enjoys it and the players enjoy him leading the team.” 

Jones sees plenty of opportunities for Japan and stressed the importance of putting Australia’s 25-year-old fly-half Tane Edmed - a relative rookie at the Test level with three caps – under pressure.

“He’s a young number 10, he doesn’t have much experience, we have to make sure to put pressure on him.

“We’ll be ready to take advantage of any mistakes.”

Japan’s youth initiative has seen starlet Yoshitaka Yazaki surprisingly being granted permission by Waseda University to feature for his country.

The 21-year-old full-back made his Brave Blossoms debut last year against England on home soil but has been unable to lock down the number 15 jersey due to his University commitments which take precedent.

Yazaki personally appealed to his University for permission to play this weekend having shown glimpses of his precocious talent for Japan XV despite their 71-7 drubbing by Australia’s second-string in Osaka.

Jones said: “Yazaki is one of the best young talents in Japan but his first commitment is to Waseda. 

“Given that he’s available it was a no brainer to pick him. Takuro Matsunaga (Japan’s first-choice full-back) is coming back from quite a serious knee injury before he goes on the European tour. 

“I’m sure that fans will be excited and impressed by this young talent.” 

Jones believes that Japan’s last home game of the year, a send-off for what he has described as the 'most ambitious tour in their history', can be a watershed moment for his new crop of talent and challenged his team to make headlines of their own.  

“We want people talking about this 2025 team, we want to be better than the 2015 and 2019 teams. It’s time for these players to make their own headlines.”